


It's Just Out of Habit, Really

by hiensou



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M, and this isnt how tags work im sorry, dont deny it rin would be so frustrated with them, for not DOING ANYTHING even tho theyre both crushing on each other, n so he'd be teasing them like heck that's what i believe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-16
Updated: 2014-01-16
Packaged: 2018-01-08 20:04:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1136804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hiensou/pseuds/hiensou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Holding hands with your best friend isn't weird at all. Not even when you're seventeen years old and in a public place and absolutely not harbouring amorous feelings for each other in secrecy. It's just that Rin Matsuoka has always been a douche who speaks without thinking first.</p><p>(From day 3, batch 1 of the MakoHaru Festival on tumblr; prompt: "holding hands")</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's Just Out of Habit, Really

   When they were kids, Makoto made a habit out of clutching Haruka's thin fingers whenever he felt unsafe. Perhaps it was just natural instinct to turn to someone you trusted when afraid, but it was still something Haruka had wondered about at first. In what way would Makoto be any safer from having a grasp of the other's hand, really? Either way, he let it happen, and soon it was silently mandatory to turn to the other's assuring palm when either of them needed comfort.

   When they were a bit older, but still children, Makoto started making friends besides Haruka. None he hung out with outside of school, none he shared all his secrets with, or went swimming with, or looked at with eyes holding poignant benevolence, but still friends who spoke to him during class and made him laugh and invited him to hang out despite the fact that he always said no and came knocking at Haruka's door instead. Haruka wasn't all that jealous, but he couldn't help falling behind sometimes. He made a habit out of reaching out and gripping Makoto's hand; silently asking him not to leave Haruka alone. Makoto would slow down without a word, or look back with a smile that said “of course not,” and they'd parallel their steps, hand in hand.

   Sometimes that still happened. It was carved in his bones now, and Makoto rarely walked anywhere but beside his childhood friend despite having longer legs which should mean quicker strides. But Nagisa if anyone was rather quick at his feet, leading the group forwards at an eager speed. Rei struggled to keep up with him, and sometimes Makoto went along too, as so not to create too big a distance from their frivolous little leader. That was when Haruka by instinct took a few speeded steps and graced Makoto's palm with his fingertips, and it was all the taller boy needed to understand.

   Either the others weren't paying attention, or they kept quiet about it, but no one had yet to show any signs of noticing how Haruka and Makoto's hands stayed clasped. It didn't even faze themselves that it could be taken _the wrong way_ , well, until someone decided to point it out.

   “What do you mean, 'the wrong way'?” Haruka questioned with an irritated tone. Rin's eyebrows shot together as if it was obvious, and Haruka was stupid.

   “It's not normal for two _friends_ to walk around holding hands like that. Come on, everyone knows this,” he motioned towards Makoto, eyes still unwavering at Haruka. “it looks like you're dating, for fuck's sake.”

   Makoto's cheeks were dusted richly with colour as he let out a nervous laugh and held his palms up at the abrasive redhead, while Haruka looked as if smoke would be coming out of his ears at any second. “Now, now!” Makoto tried, not wanting his two friends to get into a fight. It wasn't an unusual ordeal.

   Having swim practice with Rin again was nice, which was something they all could agree on, even though Rin could be – as Haru himself had so delicately put it – a pain in the ass, sometimes. Seeing Rin and Haruka interact with each other comfortably again, without the strident rivalry, was nostalgia for Makoto. Though things weren't exactly the way it used to be when they were kids, it was better than a few months ago.

   “What if we are?” Haruka spat back, and Makoto felt like he'd just swallowed his tongue out of shock, unable to speak.

   “What?” Rin crossed his arms, and the air in the room was replaced by compact awkwardness, Makoto swore; he couldn't breathe normally. Rei and Nagisa's eyes were heavily glued to them now, too.

   “I said, what if we are? Would it matter?”

   Rin didn't look repulsed by the idea, but he _did_ look like a giant question mark. And Makoto felt like one. He told himself he shouldn't look too much into Haruka's words, because if there was one person who could bring him to his very edge and get him out of character, it was Rin. Haruka would say unnecessary things when shirty just to get back at the brazen guy who simultaneously found it amusing to tease Haruka and still found himself baffled by the things the dark-haired male would say or do sometimes. Rin squinted at the other, trying to read between the lines and see beyond his obstinate façade.

   “Are you?” he asked, and Haruka's stoic stance seemed to crumble. His imperturbable demeanour retreated back within him, and he cast a momentary, unsure glance at the brunette beside him. As if he didn't know the answer to that question. Makoto felt like he would pass out from the warmth his own body shot to his face. He swallowed dryly, eyes averted to the ground.

   “No,” Haruka replied with much less backbone than before. A highly unexpected laugh tore from Rin, and his arms unfolded as he placed his hands firmly on his hips instead. He suddenly gave off a very superior ambiance, yet he wasn't acting as if he meant to be. He shook his head at Haruka.

   “Bet you'd like to change that though, eh?” Rin showed off his sharp, pearly whites in a sly grin and quickly rolled his towel up to whip it against Haruka's behind as he circulated him with quick steps, disappearing out of the locker room towards the pool. Haruka was fuming, embarrassment and exasperation mingling together in a jumbled mess, heating his face and tensing his muscles. There was a badly hidden giggle from Nagisa's direction, but as soon as Haruka's death glare reached him, his lips were pursed and he was being pulled out of the room by Rei, who nervously mumbled something about how Gou would be scolding them if they didn't get to practice already.

   Haruka heaved a sigh, and looked up at Makoto as the latter let a giggle of his own slip out. He covered his mouth with a fist and cracked an eye open to look at Haruka, who was confused as to why _Makoto_ was laughing.

   “If looks could kill,” he said, pulling a towel out of his bag and hanging it around his neck. He started walking out of the locker room, but before he could reach the door, Haruka called out for him.

   “Makoto,” he sounded uncertain, and the brunette stopped immediately in his tracks, glancing back over his shoulder with a _hm?_ “Don't leave me behind.”

   Makoto blinked as his friend shuffled over to his side, eyes hidden behind his dark bangs as he faced the ground, earnest words making him coy. Makoto chuckled softly, loosely gripping Haruka's hand and tugging him along.

   “Of course not, Haru.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> if you enjoyed it, please vote for it by liking/reblogging from the makoharu festival blog!! i would really appreciate it uvu;;; here's a link:  
> http://makoharufestival.tumblr.com/post/73613061233/challenge-holding-hands-user-penis-sunset


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